What is a Signature Cocktail?
What is a signature cocktail and how do you create one?
How do I go about creating a signature cocktail for my home bar?
A signature cocktail (or signature drink) is a unique and very distinctive drink that is created to reflect the style, theming and personality of a bar (or even of an event or establishment, such as the Grammy Awards signature cocktail).
A signature cocktail is a drink that is memorable and that stands out from other “common” drinks typically being served. It should be evident that thought went into creating the signature cocktail and there should be a story behind it. After all, every good bar and bartender should have interesting stories to share.
The Benefits of Creating a Signature Cocktail
Creating a signature cocktail for your home bar is not only fun, but it also has several benefits:
Differentiation: How many home bars have you visited where you’ve been offered their signature cocktail? Having a signature cocktail will definitely set you apart from others and help to create a unique and memorable experience for your guests.
Personalization: A signature cocktail allows you to share and highlight your own personal style and taste, making your home bar atmosphere even more memorable for guests.
Theme Enhancement: I am all for naming and theming your home bar, and offering a signature cocktail is another way to tie-in that theming and make your home bar experience just a little more immersive and impressive.
Overall, creating a signature cocktail is the perfect way to showcase not only your creativity, but also that you want to provide a fun and memorable experience for everyone who pulls up a chair. Plus, if you enjoy mixing drinks, it’s just a whole lot of fun.
It all starts with a blank canvas.
Seven Things to Consider When Creating a Signature Cocktail
If you want to create a signature cocktail for your home bar, here are a few things to consider as you start with a blank canvas (or empty glass in this case):
Flavor Profile: There's likely to be a lot of trial and error here, and that's okay. It's part of the process. Consider the flavors that you like and choose ingredients that are complementary. Consider the balance of sweet, sour, bitter and spirits.
Ingredient Availability: Unless you are planning to have different signature cocktails for different times of years (which isn’t a bad idea), use ingredients that are in season or always available to create a drink that will always be freshly made.
Color and Presentation: We all consume with our eyes first, so the appearance of your signature cocktail is very important. Ingredients should be visually appealing with respect to color and presentation.
Name: Naming your signature cocktail is fun! Try to come up with a name that is memorable and fits the theme or personality of both the drink and your bar theme or vibe.
Glassware: Going back to presentation, the type of glassware you choose should not only showcase the cocktail, but match the drink style and theme.
Garnish: Garnish not only looks great, but it also adds another dimension to the cocktail—from flavor to presentation.
Preparation: This one is key. Consider how you want to prepare the drink in front of guests. Will it be shaken, stirred, blended or something else? What type of equipment will you need and will you feel comfortable preparing it in front of guests. Don't overcomplicate it. If it takes you 10 minutes to prepare the drink, then it’s not going to be very practical beyond an Instagram shoot.
These are just a few things to think about when creating a delicious and memorable signature cocktail for your home bar. Experimenting is half the fun. Let your imagination lead you and see what magic happens in your glass. Don’t worry about making a few mistakes along the way: it’s all part of the creative process.
For the record, I'm still (after several years) working on developing a signature cocktail that I'm happy with for the Grand One Lounge.
By Mike Belobradic
Wine, Spirits and Beer Virtuoso
Grand One Lounge